


Brick By Brick

by SimplyTsundere



Series: Writing Requests [27]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Behavioralist Levi, Coffee Shop Owner Eren, Criminal Psychologist Levi, M/M, One Shot, Writing request, anon request, power outtage, tropical storm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-05
Updated: 2017-07-05
Packaged: 2018-11-28 07:31:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11413170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SimplyTsundere/pseuds/SimplyTsundere
Summary: Having moved from Los Angeles, Levi Ackerman is not happy with his reassignment to the Sunshine State. Alligators, bugs, humidity, snakes, and tropical storms are not what Levi was used to. He hated Florida with a passion until he discovered a gem in a beachside cafe. Eren Jaeger made great tea and was more than easy on the eyes. Over the last month he'd come into the shop twice a day, once in the morning before work and once after, but today was different. Today marked the early landfall of a tropical storm forcing the two to stay indoors together.





	Brick By Brick

**Author's Note:**

> Alrighty, another little one shot from my request pile! Thank you dear Anon for the request! This one was a little fun and I only wish I could have done more with it. I hope everyone will enjoy the one shot. You can make up your own ending in your head if there's something else you for it! Think of it like choosing your own ending. Just have fun and enjoy the ride.

Stupid fucking humidity, stupid fucking heat, stupid fucking rain, crazy ass fucking people, and even worse was the native wildlife; Levi Ackerman hated Florida. Why did everything have to be invaded by lizards, snakes, spiders, and scorpions?! Waking up with an alligator in his front lawn wasn't exactly optimal either. He hated the fact he'd had to move to the god forsaken "Australia of the US." Everything there wanted to kill him. If it wasn't the wildlife it was the old ass, senile locals ready to croak it in the driver's seat of their Jaguars. With each breath he hated it more and more. Moving out during hurricane wasn't part of the plan either but there was one something that made it all feel better and feel a little bit like home: The Windbane Cafe.

Each afternoon after work in the office Levi stopped by the small beachside cafe. It was quaint and cozy that provided just enough of an intimate atmosphere to allow him to work and get to know the cute barista behind the counter. The guy was the polar opposite of him and maybe it was that southern hospitality he was always hearing so much about. Eren was kind, charismatic, charming and had a smile that could melt the ice caps. His eyes were the most gorgeous shade of turquoise that swirled down to the depths of Levi's soul the more he found himself enraptured in them. Possessing a good bit more than a couple of inches on his height, a couple of shades darker than his snowy complexion, and hair that was shaggy in length and cinnamon in color Eren was even the opposite of him in looks.

Levi's silvery blue irises flickered over to the counter to watch him as he moved about creating some, no doubt, awful drink combination for the first of the gaggle of high school girls. It didn't take a genius to see that they came to also flirt with him but what took Levi by surprise was how he deflected their advances. Clearly judging by his body language Eren was more trying to get away from them than anything else. He looked as if he would have taken the first chance to run from them rather than even make their drinks. Perhaps it was the behavioralist in him but he couldn't help from laughing at how those poor girls were getting rejected and couldn't even tell how hard. Normally he didn't make it a part of his day to do anymore work than necessary but this was just too damn fun.

Outside the winds began to pick up, almost rattling the store windows but he allowed it to pass. He still wasn't entirely used to such horrible, strong weather but he was growing accustomed to it within the last month. Having moved from California meant that he was more so used to dry heat and ground shaking not humidity and monsoons. Florida was giving him a taste of it's ferocity and he didn't want it but he knew he had to suck it up. DHS hadn't sent him to the hellhole for no reason so it was about time he sucked it up and dealt with it. Being on loan to the local branch of FBI Headquarters wasn't exactly his favorite cup of tea but he was learning.

Eren took the edge off every morning and every afternoon when he came in to get his dose of morning earl grey and his afternoon dirty vanilla chai. He'd been coming in so often that Eren already had his tea steeping by the time he'd seen him coming up to the doors. With every cup served with a radiant smile he could tell what Eren was thinking. Learning to read peoples' body language, their facial reaction, and their voice inflections was all a part of his job. It was a bit fun to pretend that he couldn't see them, however, as it led to much more honest reactions. In the current moment, the gaggle of girls was departing, Eren looked both relieved and exhausted, and now they were the only two inside the cafe. Deciding it was better to keep to his work, Levi let himself sink into his laptop.

Allowing time to pass as he worked on some field reports turned into a problem he didn't want nor need. Soon palms began to slam against the windows, sand flew up to the windows, umbrellas breezed past, and every single wall in the cafe began to rattle. Levi was getting up from his chair as Eren began to rush around unplugging everything. He began to store things away and grab tape to make sure some items stayed in their place. Confused, Levi began to grab his keys and make his way towards the door with laptop in hand.

"You can't leave now, Levi," Eren huffed from behind the counter "looks like the tropical storm is rolling in earlier than they predicted. If you go out there you won't be able to handle it." Levi wanted to dispute that fact but it was true. He wasn't used to driving in this weather or even being near it. For the fact a giant, raging whirl of wind and rain was going through the area he knew it wasn't up to him anymore. Eren had known he wasn't from Florida, it wasn't hard to tell, but he also had read his I.D. since he'd used a credit card for the first purchase. Of course, originally he was from Washington, D.C. but he'd grown up in California and spent most of his life there working as a liaison for the headquarters and the FBI L.A. office. Tropical storms weren't in his book of operations due to that.

Levi placed a hand to his head "Seriously? I guess I should have left earlier. Do you mean to tell me I'm _stuck_ here?"

As the lights overhead flickered before shutting off, Eren sighed "Yeah. We both are. Can you help me with something?"

Sitting down his laptop on the sofa behind him, Levi nodded "Sure. What do you need?"

"I need to get down into the basement to kick on the backup generator that will at least let us have some dim lighting. Can you join me and turn on your phone's flashlight?" Eren asked carefully.

"You're scared of the dark aren't you?" Levi asked without realizing he'd just studied his behavioral pattern.

Eren shrugged as Levi cut on his flashlight "A little. How'd you know that?"

"The tone in your voice, the cringe you inadvertently displayed, and the way your shoulders slumped forward and together a bit," Levi responded as he approached the counter and began to escort Eren down to the basement. The stairs were narrow forcing their connection to be next to impossible to avoid as their shoulders brushed but it wasn't something Levi was going to complain about. Once they reached the bottom of the stairs Eren located the small generator and pulled the crank to run it, filling the concrete basement with the whirring hum of mechanical life. The light upstairs flickered to life causing a soft illumination of the narrow staircase. Levi gave Eren a smile and gestured to the stairs.

Back in the cafe, Eren grabbed the kettle from the counter and began to steep him some tea "Would you like another cup? On the house?"

Levi shrugged "Why not? I could always use the calming effect." Eren grabbed another mug as the winds outside began to howl, battering the windows and doors with various plants and torn fabrics from the beach. Levi began to wonder just how prepared for the storm Eren was. He didn't seem scared at all now that the lights were working again.

As he handed Levi the mug, Eren smiled "Sorry about being stuck here. They didn't expect the storm to make landfall tonight. Guess it must have picked up in strength."

Casually sipping his tea, Levi gave him a nod "Yeah, that's why I wasn't really worried about being out late today. It's alright though. I'd rather be stuck here with you than at work or home."

"Really?" Eren asked. "Why's that?"

"Because at home I'd probably be stuck without power, at work I'd have power but still expected to do my job and some criminals would try to take advantage of the storm, but here? I'm sipping tea in good company," Levi explained with a cheeky smirk.

Eren released a warm laugh "Haha, I suppose that's better than the other options. What exactly is it that you do?"

"I'm a criminal psychologist. I specialize in behavior and expressions," Levi replied "so I'm basically a lie detecting shrink for The Department of Homeland Security. I pretty much work on loan. The last seven years I've been the FBI in LA and now I'm here."

 _"Whoa,"_ Eren responded with wide eyes "that is not what I expected. I was thinking accountant or something. So, you can tell what someone is thinking because of how they act?"

"That's a pretty dumbed down version but I suppose. Like, I can tell your surprise was genuine as your eyes widened, your brows raised, your breathing stopped, and your mouth opened ever so slightly," Levi chuckled. "What's more is I could tell when those girls came in you showed signs of disgust and disdain. You also situated your body away from them meaning you were shielding yourself. Now, not necessarily out of harm's way but more from their advances."

More than amazed, Eren sat his tea down and leaned back against the counter "Wow, you're incredible. I don't like being hit on by high schoolers. I'm an adult and that's just wrong. They should know better. I'm 27 years old and I don't need that kind of shit. Does this mean you read me every time I do something?"

Levi shook his head "No, I don't. I try to not read everyone around me. It gets too complicated and I only like to work when I need to although it's hard to turn off. You're scared I've been reading you out of the fear I'll know you're into me. Silly. I could have seen that _without_ my skills because of how you act around me. I only read you today because I was laughing at those poor girls."

Eren smirked "Really, you know but you still come here anyway? That's rather bold of you."

"Department headquarters only brews bad coffee," Levi responded teasingly. "Besides how is it bold of me when I've thought the same things? It wasn't my intention to come here to pick you up but if it came with that benefit then Florida might start to get a little better."

"You're not shy are you?" Eren asked rhetorically before shrugging his shoulders and giving him a suggestive, flirty little wink. "I guess Florida's storms might make it worse but if I can make it better then I should, hmm? I wonder how we can kill time until the storm passes."

"I don't think your boss would like what I have in mind," Levi answered roguishly.

Eren rolled his eyes playfully "Oh? What is that then, because the owner is standing in front of you and says we can do what we want. Get any reading off _that_ super shrink?"

"Only that you're confident, have a sizable ego, and are _incredibly_ aroused," Levi replied matter of factly with a smug grin "so I say you take me to some place without windows that we can wait out the storm in." Stepping closer to Eren, Levi placed a hand to his jaw and delicately pulled him forward for a light kiss. Much to his surprise, Eren jerked him forward by his tie knot and stole the words off his tongue. He was going to say something else but after Eren's soul stunning kiss he couldn't remember what it was. All he knew was Eren was warm, beautiful, tasted like lavender and mint, and wanted to get creative about waiting out the storm.

"Couldn't have said it better myself," Eren said as he grabbed Levi's hand leading him down the narrow hallway to wait until it was finally alright for him to drive out. Perhaps, Florida wasn't going to be so bad after all. Bit by bit, inch by inch, and brick by brick, Levi was laying the work for a rather nice time in the Sunshine State.

 

**Author's Note:**

> If you like Levi's profession here you may just see it again! ;]


End file.
